This invention relates to a transfer printing apparatus useful for a printing machine designed to issue, for example, a commutation ticket or passenger ticket by applying a transfer printing medium such as thermal transfer film.
With a conventional printing machine designed to print and issue a ticket by means of a band-shaped transfer printing medium such as a thermal transfer film coated with or containing a transfer dyestuff, the transfer medium has been drawn out or taken up in the manner as shown in FIG. 1. The transfer medium F is taken up on a feed reel 1 with a transfer agent-coated surface exposed to the outside. The leading end portion of the transfer medium F is stretched over a tension arm 2, passes between a feed roller 3 and pinch roller 4, and over a guide roller 5. Then said leading end portion is clamped between a thermal printing head 6 and head-pressing roller 7, passes over a releasing roller 8, is guided between a feed roller 9 and pinch roller 10, is stretched over a tension arm 11, and finally is wound about a takeup reel 12. The pinch rollers 4, 10 which are urged by a spring (not shown) always press the feed rollers 3, 9. The thermal printing head 6 is set in a state rotatable in the direction of an arrow indicated in FIG. 1, and is urged by a spring (not shown) to press the head-pressing roller 7.
However, the conventional printing machine has the drawbacks that when the transfer medium F is used up, or cut off in an intermediate part, the pinch rollers 4, 10 and printing head 6 have to be lifted respectively in the direction of an indicated arrow; and a fresh transfer printing medium has to be loaded, with great difficulties and consumption of much time.